I thought we had settled the factor 1/4 comes from receiving the incoming radiation on a disc and retransmitting it from a sphere.
The cross section of the incident beam is πR². That's the amount eclipsed, which is the amount distributed over the surface of Earth (4πR²) diurnally. The average incident flux is reduced by πR² ÷ 4πR² = 1/4. That is, it's 1366 W/m² ÷ 4 which is approx 340 W/m², the number you introduced. So you already had a factor of 1/4 in mind from the outset.
If you make that one dimension less, with a circle, the incoming energy hits 2r for the diameter of the circle and retransmits it on 2pi*r. No factor 4 there.
That's not only wrong, but you appear to be arguing with yourself. As I said, it was you who posted 340 W/m² which already concedes that 1/4 was correct.
I agree that it is valid for a perfect black body. I see issues elsewhere.
No it's valid regardless of that. The question of
deriving temperature from flux is a separate question.
If you divide radiation energy over a black body surface then obviously it divides by 4.
It divides by 4 in all cases as matter of geometry, not physics.
However if you divide temperature over the surface then there are issues with the fourth power in the S-B law.
This seems to say you're not certain what you meant by radiative equilibrium temp., which further confuses your meaning overall.
(back to the prior post)
Again, for visualizing, suppose you give the
moon an atmosphere of nitrogen hypothetically. The sunny side is around boiling while the night is extreme cold. Wouldn't that generate convection in the atmosphere?
If you think that N[sub]2[/sub] accounts for global warming, then you're way off track. Besides the fact that the greenhouse effect is a consequence of the conversion of short wave energy into long wave by surface processes -- which does not relate to the absorption spectrum of N[sub]2[/sub], but rather CO[sub]2[/sub] and water vapor -- climate forcing can not be attributed to N[sub]2[/sub] since N[sub]2[/sub] levels are not increasing. Further, N[sub]2[/sub] is pegged out at about 78% due to other kinds of equilibria (such as with the biomass), with little or no room to shrink or grow, and it certainly can't double. Here is the smoking gun you seem to be looking for: only trace amounts of CO[sub]2[/sub] are controlling our climate, therefore the system is sensitive to anthropogenic contributions.
But feel free to dismiss the observed data and to try to replace working principles with unworkable ones. You just won't be talking about more than myth. You do realize that this is fairly characterized as pseudoscience, don't you?
Earth surface temperatures are determined by a large number of factors
Yet there is only one explanation for global warming, and that is the greenhouse effect. And among the various gases involved, CO[sub]2[/sub] is the main one forcing the climate in trace amounts.
Please read
the Stadium wave for plenty more on cycles.
None of this alters the statement I just made. Curry endorses the greenhouse effect.
I'm looking at the other comments and I understand that I'm a very lousy explainer.
So far the explanations you've been giving don't work.
But the main issue is, do we need greenhouse effect to heat the atmosphere
Whether we need it or not, nature is producing it, so we're stuck with it. And now that we understand the sensitivity of natural systems to anthropogenic CO[sub]2[/sub], and how trace amounts affect climate, the onus is on us to either mend our ways or else to inflict more irreparable harm on the planet than we already have.
or can convection do the job? (like I learned some 45 years ago, for the theory of glider flying.)
No, which is why, during her testimony to Congrees, your source (Curry) said:
If all other things remain equal, it is clear that adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere will warm the planet.